Transfer news live: Henderson completes Ajax move, Martial’s agent denies Man Utd rift plus Newcastle and Spurs latest

Jordan Henderson has completed his move from Al-Ettifaq to Ajax, the Dutch club have confirmed. It comes after the Saudi Pro League club agreed to terminate the England midfielder’s contract.

Spending is down compared to the last two years, with Eddie Howe bemoaning a lack of response from rivals, while Tottenham have been one of the few busy clubs in a waiting game around the league and Europe overall, writes Miguel Delaney:

Al-Hilal have signed Brazil defender Renan Lodi from French side Olympique de Marseille, both clubs said on Wednesday.

The 25-year-old Lodi agreed a deal that will keep him at the club until the end of 2027, with French media reporting that Al-Hilal paid 23 million euros ($24.97 million) for the transfer.

Lodi has earned 19 caps for Brazil.

Al-Hilal top the Saudi Pro League standings with 53 points, seven ahead of second-placed Al-Nassr.

The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) has announced a Sports Clubs Investment and Privatisation Project involving Al-Ittihad, Al-Ahli, Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal.

PIF owns 75% of each of the four clubs, while their respective non-profit foundations own 25% of each.

Celtic new boy Nicolas Kuhn believes Parkhead is the perfect place to achieve his ambitions at club and country level.

The 24-year-old attacker, who signed a five-and-a-half-year deal from Rapid Vienna on Tuesday, played at youth level for Germany up until under-20s and was in the academy teams of RB Leipzig and Ajax before joining Bayern Munich in 2020 following an initial loan move.

Kuhn did not quite make the breakthrough at those European giants before moving to Austria in 2022 but is now looking to kick on, with Champions League football and a senior call-up for Germany in his sights.

Speaking at Celtic Park, he said: “Of course they (Ajax and Bayern) were big clubs. I learned a lot, it was a good school. There were a lot of players who had a good career and who made big steps to big clubs so I learned a lot and now I want to show what I can do here.

“At Ajax I played with the whole squad that got to the semi-finals of the Champions League (2019), I trained the whole year with the first team. At Bayern I played with players like (Robert) Lewandowski and (Joshua) Kimmich and all the guys you know.

“I think at Ajax I did really good in the youths. When I first arrived, we won the second league with the second team. I trained the whole time with the first team. In the youth league, I was the top scorer and I deserved a chance. But then I made the move to Bayern. After the first season, we were also champions with the second team in the third league in Germany.

“Then there were some private problems so I made a step back. People were looking at where I was playing but for me it was a good step. So I can take two steps forward now. I’ve improved a lot, I think. I’ve now played regularly and I’ve stayed fit. That’s the most important thing. Now I can show what I’m able to do.

“When I was at Erzgebirge Aue for one year on loan, I said I wanted to play in the Champions League and for the national team. Now I’ve made a big step to a big club. So, of course, in the future, I want to play for the national team as well.”

Arsenal are at the front of the queue to sign the highly rated attacking midfielder Xavi Simons from Paris Saint-Germain, according to Sport Bild.

PSG would consider a sale of Simons, who is currently on loan at RB Leipzig, to balance the books. Any deal would need to be completed in the summer.

Simons, who can play in the No 10 role and on both wings, has scored four goals and registered seven assists across 17 Bundesliga games this season, catching the eye of a number of clubs around Europe.

North London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham are both interested in signing the Real Sociedad winger Ander Barrenetxea, according to the Sun.

Barrenetxea is a Spanish U21 international who tends to play on the left side but can also fill in as a striker. He has made 22 appearances in La Liga, the Champions League and the Copa del Rey this season, scoring four times and registering two assists.

The 22-year-old has been scouted by both clubs, and it is thought Mikel Arteta sees him as providing good competition for Gabriel Martinelli on Arsenal’s left flank.

Newcastle also have their eye on Atalanta’s talented Brazilian, Ederson, according to reports in Italy.

The club sent their head scout to watch the 24-year-old, who has five goals and one assist in Serie A this season playing as a central midfielder, and are keen to pursue a permanent transfer.

But Atalanta are reluctant to sell in January, so the summer looks a more likely moment for any deal.

There is a clamour for Kalvin Phillips’ services as a host of clubs try to sign the Manchester City midfielder this month.

Phillips has widely been identified as the best central player available on the market right now, and Newcastle are thought to be at the front of the queue among Premier League clubs interested, who include Wolves and Fulham.

But Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are also monitoring the situation and have registered their interest with City, according to the Telegraph.

His future will be decided next week, and it could all come down to who can afford to pay the highest proportion of his sizeable wages until the end of the season.

Aston Villa have made an offer for Middlesbrough’s Morgan Rogers, with the 21-year-old forward Unai Emery’s priority for this window.

The player is keen to test himself at Premier League level, having quickly developed in Michael Carrick’s burgeoning side. Emery has admired Rogers for a while, having been further impressed with the versatile attacker when Villa played Middlesbrough in the FA Cup

Nuno Espirito Santo says he will tell his Nottingham Forest players to forget about the threat of a Premier League points deduction.

Forest have been referred to an independent commission over an alleged breach of the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability regulations (PSR).

The league have started the next steps in the process to decide what punishment the club will face, which could include a points deduction and fines.

“Today we will train and we know the players know the situation but I’ll tell them the same thing that I am telling you — let’s forget about it and focus on our job. Our job is the game against Blackpool,” said Nuno.

“We are all concerned within the club but me as a coach, it’s nothing I have to think about or to deal with. My job is clear, it is to prepare the team and that’s what we’re focused with.

“All the conversations and meetings we have are private. I understand that this is the news but at the same time, it’s not my concern. I have to focus, I have to wait until the decision comes and when it does we’re here to deal with that.

“My job is to work, work, work and then work even more. This is all I think about.”